The European Commission Issues a Statement of Objections to Google

We welcome today’s announcement by Commissioner Vestager that she has issued a statement of objections to Google, which is a decisive step towards restoring the level playing field required for competition and innovation to thrive.

Foundem’s November 2009 Competition Complaint to the European Commission was the first to document Google’s insidious search manipulation practices and to highlight their devastating impact on competition, innovation, and consumer choice.

Google is not just a monopoly; it is probably the most powerful monopoly in history. As the gatekeeper to the Internet, Google plays a decisive role in determining what the vast majority of us read, use, and purchase online. Today’s announcement isn’t about the potential size of any eventual fine; it is about ending Google’s ability to manipulate its unprecedented power to its own financial ends and to the detriment of consumers and innovation.

As the company that first brought Google’s anti-competitive search manipulation practices to the attention of regulators on both sides of the Atlantic, Foundem is uniquely placed to shed light on the vital background and context of the ensuing Google investigations. To this end, we are today publishing a Timeline of some of the significant events that brought Google to this point.